Australia and England begin T20 World Cup campaign with a win

Alyssa Healy's first T20 World Game as the Australian captain ended in a convincing victory against Sri Lanka on Saturday (October 5) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The Asian champions suffered their second straight defeat in the ninth edition of the tournament. Meanwhile, England also began their campaign with a win over Bangladesh in the evening. 

Chamari Athapaththu won the toss and elected to bat first. Sri Lanka struggled early on, registering only 23 runs in the power play. During that period, they also lost both their openers. Megan Schutt shut down Vishmi Gunaratne for a duck, while Athapaththu fell victim to Ash Gardner having scored just three runs. More wickets kept falling for Sri Lanka as left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux removed Kavisha Dilhari and Harshitha Samarawickrama for five runs and 23 runs respectively. 

Skipper Healy made full use of the Aussie spinners with Georgia Wareham also getting the breakthrough by dismissing Hasini Perera. The death overs belonged to Schutt who got rid of Anushka Sanjeewani and Sugandika Kumari. The seam bowler equalled Shabnim Ismail's record of most wickets (43) in T20 World Cup history. Sri Lanka only managed to put 93 runs on the board at the end of the innings. 

Despite having to chase such a low total, it wasn't an easy ride for Australia. Healy got clean bowled by Udeshika Prabodhani in the very first over. New batter Wareham was also run out in the third over, thanks to a direct hit by Dilhari. Ellyse Perry was also completely beaten by Kumari and departed for 17 runs. Australia were 35 for 3 at the end of the first six overs. 

Beth Mooney and Gardner built the innings for Australia, before the latter got dismissed by experienced left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera. But the stage had already been set for the defending champions as Mooney and Phoebe Litchfield finished things off with 5.4 overs to spare. 

England restrict Bangladesh

Heather Knight won the toss and opted to bat first. England were off to a slow start initially, with Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Maia Bouchier struggling to play with intent. But they soon picked up the pace and smashed 47 runs without loss in the power play. 

After the first the six overs. wickets started coming in Bangladesh's way. Rabeya Khan got the better of Bouchier who walked back scoring 23 runs. Nat Sciver-Brunt departed for two runs in the very next over, thanks to Fahima Khatun. England's run rate slowed down significantly, especially after Knight and Wyatt-Hodge's dismissal. Bangladeshi bowlers were running riot, getting rid of Alice Capsey and Dani Gibson and Charlie Dean. At the end of the innings, 118 runs was all England could put to the scoresheet. 

The English bowlers turned out to be as efficient. Knight's decision to include all four spinners in the playing 11 paid off. Dean struck early in the fourth over, making Dilara Akter her first prey. Left-arm spinner Linsey Smith removed Shathi Rani from the crease as the spinners continued to put pressure on Bangladesh, with only 23 runs being scored in the power play. 

Skipper Nigar Sultana Joty and Sobhana Mostary put some runs together, but their partnership was too slow to reach the target. Joty eventually lost her wicket, getting run out by Smith. Leg-spinner Sarah Glenn put her name in the wicket-takers' list, dismissing Shorna Akter. Smith picked up her second by sending Taj Nehar back to the dugout. 

The death overs ended with Sciver-Brunt and Dean removing Ritu Moni and Mostary respectively. Bangladesh were 97 for 7 in 20 overs, falling short by 21 runs. 

Brief scores

Sri Lanka 93/7 in 20 overs (Nilakshi de Silva 29*, Harshitha Samarawickrama 23; Megan Schutt 3/12, Sophie Moineux 2/20) lost to Australia 94/4 in 14.2 overs (Beth Mooney 43*, Ellyse Perry 17; Udeshika Prabodhani 1/19) by 6 wickets. POTM: Megan Schutt

England 118/7 in 20 overs (Danni Wyatt-Hodge 41, Maia Bouchier 23; Fahima Khatunn 2/18, Ritu Moni 2/24) beat Bangladesh 97/7 in 20 overs (Sobhana Mostary 44; Linsey Smith 2/11, Charlie Dean 2/22) by 21 runs. POTM: Danni Wyatt-Hodge